Plastics recycling in the UK is carried out at two levels, from the home and from commerce and industry.

On the domestic front, recycling of plastics concentrates on the collection of bottles which ranges from milk bottles to soft drink bottles. But, other plastic wastes such as plastic meat wrappers and yogurt pots are not collected as there is as yet no viable recycling route.

The industrial and commercial sector is of great importance. Offcuts are recycled from plastics factories and the manufacturing sector while plastic film, often used to wrap goods, is usually collected, baled and sent for reprocessing.

European targets for packaging waste recycling will rise this decade and so more material will need recycling. Industry body Recoup reasons that councils ought to recognise that recycling of plastics reduces landfilling costs and that industry should support the recycling of plastics in the household waste stream if it wants to meet future European targets.

One of the difficulties facing the sector is that because waste plastics usually have a high calorific value there is considerable debate over whether or not the best route for some plastics is incineration for energy recovery rather than recycling.